General Chat

I guess thats what it boils down to Daff the fact it gives us so much pleasure and brings the past to life for each of us and not just any past but our relevant past. I love the history/geography thing Rose finding out about ancesters is much more than names on old papers its where they live etc. I have been lucky most of my ancesters came from the Midlands and having lived and worked in various places have seen the progression through the ages and I have also been lucky enough to get out and about to other places and walk in my ancesters footsteps x

I do it for me, pure and simple... I like to know how my family lived, loved and died... and if no-one after me is interested, so be it... I hardly drink any more, I don't smoke and I don't eat chocolate.... so this is how I spoil myself.

I have found relatives who had photos of ancestors, which I would never have seen.... and it was because of the family history that I was able to push my GP for tests a couple of years ago.... the tests were ok for what might have been, but my AML was picked up as a result... so it saved my life as well, lol

Do we really need to have a reason for doing anything, other than pleasure?

Daff

I don't really do it for future generations, though some of the family may be interested when older...I do it for me ! :)) because of an urge to know a bit more about the names that have been handed down, whether little family stories are based in fact ...because I have always liked geography, history and knowing about people lol and because I enjoy research..

xx

In think yur approach is good Kate, but what if we never find someone to "keep up the work we started" or we find them but after a bit they can't be bothered? and what kind of legacy will we leave them? will they speculate about how lives like we do about those who we find?

Funny thing I always think about doing this is, being interested makes all the difference. At the end of Year 10 I remember spending hours trying to get my Maths coursework done - we had to come up with an algebra format that could be applied to a "Magic Squares" puzzle and I knew what I wanted to demonstrate but couldn't work out how to show it in the format of algebra so I got really frustrated.

And doing the tree sometimes seems similar, when I get to a point where I just can't find the person I'm after and don't know where to look next but because it's a family tree there is always another branch to work on. I think BC's got a point about finding someone to pass the work on to - I'm determined I will live as long as I have to, to find a relative or descendent that I can pass the research onto.

I also like speculating abut people in my tree. I've recently traced a whole family forwards and think they must have been wealthy because a lot of the males had jobs like doctors, architects, surveyors and some elder brothers were even described as "gentleman". So I am really curious to know where the money came from!

also both excellent reason - esp the MAD bit fits me perfectly x

I always keep in mind just one person (in the future) who will be as interested and as nosey as I am and who will be glad that I started it off. BCXX

Thats very true, but is it all really worth it - will future generations look back and thank us for it - or will they even be bothered?

Keeps the brain active x

whats the point in spending so much time, effort and money on one thing?

I can go with nosey but does there come a time when we all noseyed out?

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